Corkscrew Creatures

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Since I posted a green heron from our 2014 excursion in Corkscrew Swamp last week, I thought it would be timely to post some of the critters we saw this year. In 2015. We didn't see one green heron this year though!

 Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is the most peaceful of Florida boardwalks. But you won't have it to your self. (Unfortunately there's other tourists) You'll share it with all kinds of critters big and small. Seen and unseen. Heard and unheard. Look up and you'll see a pileated headed wood peckers doing some damage in the tree tops.

And spider webs reflecting the morning light.

Ibis will be high up above. And below.

An old wood stork might look down from above.

Delicate swamp petals will delight.

Fringed and feathered white egrets will patrol the swamp.

Alligators will bellow from below. This one really did!

Great blue herons will sneak up on a snack.

A wood stork might do the old bait and switch.

Is this an anhinga? I barely recognize him when he isn't drying his wings. You'll see him.

A handsome yellow crowned night heron could possibly, sluggishly troll through the muck.

A little blue heron might pick and peck around.

Another white egret might pose for your camera. 

And a second blue heron will wait beautifully in a tree.

And there's black snakes. For Heaven's sakes alive!

Saturday's Critters

Bird d'Pot

Wild Bird Wednesday

Wednesday Around the World

Take a close look...

click to enlarge

If you look close up you'll see some unusual markings on these snakes.   I had a lot of fun creating this piece.  And it is still one of my favorites.  I love the black background.  It really makes the snakes and all their parasitic hangers on pop.

I picked this piece for the August Break.  But it also fits the www.illustrationfriday.com theme hybrid perfectly.  The snakes are a genetic mix of more than one animal.  Does looking at snakes bug you?  Hee, hee.

Tomorrow the theme is skyline.

Sneaky Snake Secrets...

click to enlarge

Lately I've been posting a lot of been there done that art.  Previously posted, famous basement files, lost bins, not new to you, repurposed, lost archives, yes this again, upcycled, theme driven and dusted off.

Whew!  But today I have something new.  Or at least new to www.illustrationfriday.com  Not that I haven't been painting like crazy.  Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I've done around 46 pages of new art.  And when the books come out I'll show you!  

Do you see the secret?  It might be obvious to most, irrelevant to others and an aha! moment to a few blog followers.  The snakes have other animals painted inside them. The red snake has beetles.  The camo snake has turtles.  The green snake has butterflies.  And the yellow snake has flies. Oh, and there are subtle snakes floating in the background.  I had a lot of fun with this one. It's called Snakes on a Painting.  Hmmm.  I wonder what movie came out around the same time I did this piece!   

Disney is perfect.

Snow White may be perfect. But Snow Sharon and the unlovable animals is not. And that is exactly what I intended. Instead of the cute little creatures Disney created. I surrounded myself with some questionable and less respected ones. How imperfect of me. That's the theme over at http://www.illustrationfriday.com/ today.

I painted this for Art House Co-op's Sketchbook project. But I didn't really need much of an excuse try Snow White's shoes on for size. And her perfectly little size 2 dress.

The great fortune cookie disaster of 2010!

I usually don't eat the marginally good fortune cookies that accompany the delicious take out we get all the time. But I never want to throw away the good (or down right weird) fortunes that linger inside the cookies. So I've been saving them. That is until my ziplock bag was full. Then I thought that maybe it was time to unwrap the cookies, read my fortunes and then throw them away. Well, I forgot the bag out on the counter. As soon as the lights were off in the kitchen, Hana ripped open the bag and the cookies went flying. It was time to read my fortunes...

A naughty cat on the counter. I try to keep her off. But you know what happens when you turn your back for a moment. Disaster!

This was my favorite fortune. Ha!

This fortune is perfect to tie in the art part of this week's post. My painting, "Snakes on a Painting" was a State Fair reject this year. I've never tried to get into the fair before. The good news is that my Snake's are in a State Fair overflow show at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Now through September 5. The opening was last Saturday night. It was really fun to see some of the almost 2,000 rejects. The great, the good and the down right ugly. Hey, I know what you're thinking... snakes are not ugly!

Finally, get a load of this fancy fortune cookie. It's the real deal. A yumo version that you get at my favorite Thai place Roat Osha. Just because I haven't eaten it yet doesn't mean I'm throwing this one away. I'm hoping that it says I will become a rich and famous artist. Oh, I think there was one that said, "dare to dream!" For more fortune kitties visit http://www.gattinamycats.blogspot.com/

Snakes On A Painting

Today's title puts a big smile on my face. Another reason I'm smiling is that I am finally done with this painting. It was a little more difficult than most. Can you guess the reason? The Snakes have some extra parasites or something. Obvious...maybe. Sneaky...scary and fun hopefully! I started this painting awhile ago and finally felt up to the challenge of finishing it. Let me know if it puts a smile on your face...